Testing for Temper Chocolate

Now that you have gone through all the hassle, you want to make sure your chocolate is tempered before you use it. One quick way to test temper is to drizzle a small amount of the chocolate onto a piece of parchment of waxed paper. You can also dip the tip of a paring knife into the chocolate and set it aside on the counter. If tempered, the chocolate on the paper or knife will set in less  than 5 minutes, and it will be shiny and glossy.
Be aware of a false temper. This can happen if the temperature sequence was off during the tempering process, if the room is too cold or hot, if the chocolate has sat too long and gone out of temper, or a combination of any of the above. A practiced eye can soon tell if this has happened. Pour a wide strip of chocolate onto parchment or waxed paper. Next draw your finger through the chocolate in one swipe. If the line is clean and holds its shape, it is tempered. If the sides appear grainy and uneven, look closer.
Chances are, you will see that while the top layer of chocolate has set, the cocoa butter underneath has separated.